EU fuel prices extend sharp rise in August as diesel and petrol costs climb

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EU fuel prices August rise

Highlights

EU fuel and lubricant prices for personal transport surge 23.8% year-on-year in August 2026, up from 13.7% in June and 16.9% in July.
Eighteen EU countries post annual fuel price increases above 20% in August 2026, with Bulgaria leading at 34.5% and Hungary lowest at 1.3%.
Diesel prices jump 8.3% month-on-month and petrol prices rise 3.3% in August 2026 across the EU, with Czechia's diesel up 14.3% and Spain's petrol up 8.2%.

August price surge across EU markets

As reported by Eurostat, fuel and lubricant prices for personal transport in the EU are 23.8% higher in August 2026 than in August 2025, after year-on-year increases of 13.7% in June and 16.9% in July.

Prices are higher in 26 of the 27 EU countries compared with a year earlier. August annual increases are above July levels in 26 countries and above June levels in 24, indicating that the latest rise is widespread across the bloc.

Eighteen EU countries record annual price increases above 20% in August 2026. The steepest rises are in Bulgaria, up 34.5%, Lithuania, up 28.8%, Finland, up 27.6%, Germany, up 27.5%, and France, up 27.4%, while the smallest increases are in Hungary, up 1.3%, Sweden, up 6.1%, and Ireland, up 11.7%.

Diesel leads monthly increase in consumer transport costs

On a monthly basis, EU consumers see diesel prices rise by 8.3% in August 2026 from the previous month, while petrol prices increase by 3.3%. In July 2026, diesel prices rise by 4.3% and petrol by 4.7% compared with June.

Between July and August 2026, diesel prices increase in 26 EU countries. The largest gains are in Czechia, up 14.3%, Bulgaria, up 13.5%, and Luxembourg, up 12.3%, while the smallest increases are in Italy, up 5.2%, Romania, up 6.1%, and the Netherlands, up 6.2%.

For petrol, 22 countries record price increases between July and August 2026, three post declines, and two remain unchanged. The biggest increases are in Spain, up 8.2%, Romania, up 6.6%, Italy, up 6.3%, and Cyprus, up 6.2%, while slight decreases are recorded in Hungary, down 0.6%, Denmark, down 0.3%, and Slovakia, down 0.1%.

In our earlier article on France’s push for EU regulatory relief on fuel standards, we explained how Paris urged Brussels to delay methane reporting rules for oil and gas imports and temporarily relax fuel-quality and biofuel requirements. The aim was to reduce compliance risks for importers and help boost European diesel and kerosene output as supply constraints and winter market strains intensify.

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